Douglas Perenara Johnston
Douglas Perenara Johnston lives in his hometown of Oamaru, Janet Frame’s “Kingdom by the Sea“ on the South Island of New Zealand. Educated at Otago University, Douglas is of Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Rānginui, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāiterangi, Uepōhatu, Scottish, Irish, German, and Scandinavian descent. He is a graduate of the Applied Writing programme at NorthTec and tries to incorporate his cultural identity into his writing where possible. He is a published poet, playwright, and author of short stories, flash fiction, and creative nonfiction. Pavlova Press (NZ), CultureCult Press (India), Wicked Shadow Press (India), Zartaar Lit (Afghanistan), WILDSound (Canada), Yellow Mama (Wichita), and Kinsman Quarterly (New York, USA) have included his work.
Achievements:
Top 6 Finalist - Iridescence Award 2024 for Writing (New York, USA) for the short story "A Day Lost in Time"
Semi-finalist - Winds of Asia Award 2025 for Writing (New York, USA) for the short story "One Who Hopes"
Finalist - Native Voices Award 2025 for Writing (New York, USA) for the short stories "Ram Raid" and "A Dinner Engagement with Mister Top Hat"
Honourable Mention - Native Voices Award 2025 for Writing (New York, USA) for the short story "A Dinner Engagement with Mister Top Hat"
Genre:
- Adult Fiction
- E-Book
- Fantasy
- Flash Fiction
- Freelance Writer
- History
- Horror
- Non-Fiction
- Poetry
- Short Stories
- Science Fiction
Skills:
- Freelance Writing
- Research
Branch:
Otago/Southland
Location:
Waitaki
Publications:
Christmas of the Dead - Yule Cat Codex
An anthology of Christmas-themed short stories by Wicked Shadow Press.
Includes my short story “Naughty or Nice”
Editor’s Note:
"It’s a rich tapestry of mythology and fantasy set in a contemporary context. The innovative concept of blending diverse mythologies and presenting them in a modern-day crisis is really well done."
Eldritch Encore: The Dunwich Volume
Anthology of short stories inspired by HP Lovecraft by CultureCult Press.
Includes my short story "Fall of Ash."
PAV Deconstructed
An anthology inspired by the iconic dessert, featuring stories, recipes, and art from everyday Kiwis. By Pavlova Press.
Includes my piece of creative nonfiction, "The Third Hundred Year's War."
Flash of The Dead
Horror flash fiction anthology.
Wreckollections
Anthology of dark fiction.
Powerless
Anthology of thematic poetry.
Iridescence
A merge of colour, culture and magic.
Kinsman Quaterly
Featuring the diverse fantasy voices of the Iridescence anothology.
First Folio
"This gorgeous anthology of one-act plays from CultureCult Press gathers twenty-six original dramas that traverse genres and geographies, from sharp satire to tender monologues, dark comedy to political drama, and modern absurdism to classical verse. Each compact drama delivers a powerful punch, unfolding human complexity via a variety of voices: homeless dreamers, disgraced priests, suicidal robots, battling twins and dying war-horses. Whether set in barstools or battlefields, confessionals or computer code, these plays reflect a world constantly shifting, where identity, morality, memory and love are tested in a matter of minutes. FIRST FOLIO is both a showcase of contemporary dramatic writing and a tribute to theatre’s enduring power to provoke, disturb and console."
Features my play "Breathers"
Zartaar Lit
"Zartaar refers to golden threads used in intricate embroidery and weaving fabric in Afghanistan and other countries. They symbolise resilience, beauty, healing, and celebrating imperfections across various cultures."
My flash, "My Dream, My Creation" appears in Issue 1 of Zartaar Lit - a beautiful online lit mag promoting a voice for all (including women). I am proud to support this worthy kaupapa (principle/cause).
Kinsman Quarterly Fall 2025 Issue 10
Details of the winners and place getters for the Native Voices Awards 2025:
- Including a Finalist placement for my short story, Ram Raid
- Including an Honourable Mention for my short story, A Dinner Engagement with Mister Top Hat
- Both are to be published